HERO RESTORATION - BOOKS NOT BEING RETURNED 20 20

[Hero Restoration]

On 6/14/2023 at 9:43 AM, ExNihilo said:

I'm guessing between the business and health care, they're probably already in the red and can't afford to refund customers AND cover shipping.

The problem with sending out an email at this point is it sounds like they've lied to customers enough times that I imagine there are some customers who believe everything to be another lie.  Much like "the boy who cried wolf", this is more like "the presser who said it was getting packaged."  If it wasn't actually being packaged in the past, why should a customer believe that they're being genuine now about sending books back.

Despite that, this seems like a genuine case of someone just running into a string of bad luck and the recent health problems are the top priority.  It's an unfortunate set of circumstances and I agree that laying it all out for customers is the way to go.  I'd like to think people could be empathetic and understand that progress is going to slow down as a result.  Maybe assign numbers for every open order, tell customers what number their order is, and then send out an email every month saying you're currently working on order number XX so that way everyone has an idea of how much longer it will take before their books are finished.

Unfortunately, empathy is in short supply. I think some of it is the economic climate right now including inflation. People are looking for ways to stretch dollars, and canceling orders is one way to do it. Did you know when your books arrive at CGC, you Cannot cancel the order. Even if they're 4 month tiers taking 14 months. Plus, the meter already starts once we receive the books. You got receiving you got emails, books get dry, cleaned or prepped and then the larger process is already getting on way. I am committed to getting the books done, but customers aren't committed to waiting for them to be done. When you're talking to a client and they're only interested in one thing, and that's the one you can't do, and the client escalates it into a poor me. 

[Cat]

On 6/17/2023 at 8:59 PM, Hero Restoration said:

Customers that have a true grievance are not considered wolves. A client who charges back on credit card 11k for restos not due is a wolves.bI won that dispute BTW 

Clients who's books were stolen values in the form 12k, but sues for $45, from thousands of miles away is a wolf. 

As Time is an estimate, GUARANTEE. This is posted in multiple stages. but gets ignore. Terms and agreement get ignored.I like Joey:s at CFP approach, post the date range you are working on, then there is no deadline. Deadlines are avoided to ensure the quality of the work, the minute you have to rush to finish. It's not going to come out right, no good deal goes on punished.

Not taking it wrong, just providing context, and errors and omissions. I can turn it around, but only if given. time. Without that, the work isn't worth having done.

I never said the customers failed me, the ones I mentioned are a small percentage, but have a large impact that, and effects the other customers in unpreventable way..

Again, restos are complicated, and silver age is the most complicated of them all. 

Sure, I have failed some customers by long timelines, but the still hey their books, and it's quality work.

I'M SLOW, especially now. If that's an issue, shop for a younger competitor one does a one and done.

 

Don't blame the customers for your inadequacies. 

"Yeah, she left me because my pecker was just way too big. You know how it is." 

Whatever dude. 

Either take responsibility or don't, but don't eff around with this stuff. 

[Gaard]

Communication and honesty. They go a long way. I also think it might calm the pack of wolves. I understand your hesitation to do lots of emails, but I guess it's a case of 'pick your poison'.

ps - I don't think you ever addressed that AF15 that @NP_Gresham sent you (along with >$3k)

[CGC Mike]

On 6/17/2023 at 7:18 AM, Hero Restoration said:

Did you know when your books arrive at CGC, you Cannot cancel the order.

While your statement is true, there has been at least 1 exception to that rule.  We had an unexpected issue come up regarding metal cards.

 

Orders containing metal cards from the Pokémon Celebrations Ultra-Premium Collection are being delayed while CGC Trading Cards adapts its holder.

CGC Trading Cards™ continues to conduct extensive testing into solutions to safely encapsulate the metal commemorative cards from the Pokémon Celebrations Ultra-Premium Collection.

At this time, our best estimate is that a solution will be in place by the end of May 2022. All submissions with metal Pokémon Celebrations Ultra-Premium Collection Pikachu or Charizard cards will be expedited as soon as this solution is in place.

If submitters do not wish to wait, they can contact Customer Service to have their submission returned. Any metal cards will not be encapsulated, and the grading fees will be fully refunded. Any standard cards that are part of the submission will be encapsulated as normal.

[Nick Furious]

On 6/17/2023 at 6:18 AM, Hero Restoration said:

Unfortunately, empathy is in short supply.

The reason your empathy is in short supply is because you are dealing with extreme hardship.  When we have our own difficulties, it's hard to empathize with the customer and understand their position.  They get put into two camps, the good guys who will let us do it our way and the bad guys who are done being patient.  It can become all about our own problems and all about why they won't empathize with us...when all the while we are not empathizing with them.

[badback83]

On 6/17/2023 at 7:18 AM, Hero Restoration said:

Unfortunately, empathy is in short supply. I think some of it is the economic climate right now including inflation. People are looking for ways to stretch dollars, and canceling orders is one way to do it. Did you know when your books arrive at CGC, you Cannot cancel the order. Even if they're 4 month tiers taking 14 months. Plus, the meter already starts once we receive the books. You got receiving you got emails, books get dry, cleaned or prepped and then the larger process is already getting on way. I am committed to getting the books done, but customers aren't committed to waiting for them to be done. When you're talking to a client and they're only interested in one thing, and that's the one you can't do, and the client escalates it into a poor me. 

@Gaard @NP_Gresham 

What’s the deal with the AF 15?  Surely you’ve seen multiple people in this thread asking about it.

[skypinkblu]

On 6/17/2023 at 7:18 AM, Hero Restoration said:

Unfortunately, empathy is in short supply. I think some of it is the economic climate right now including inflation. People are looking for ways to stretch dollars, and canceling orders is one way to do it

Maybe some of the people sent you the books intending to sell them. Some may have sent them to you BEFORE inflation hit. The timing might have been fine if you hadn't overestimated what you could reasonably handle, and that includes factoring in sick time.

I am sympathetic, but not realizing that a lot of the problems were caused by ...I guess greed?  You would not be in this pickle.

You said you have 5 AF15's, that's actually scary...please find N.P.Gresham's as his has been out an unconscionable amount of time.

The best way to fix a backlog is to break it into small manageable pieces and take care of those pieces one by one, but do it, don't rant about wolves. Returning the books that people have asked you to return, should be the first piece. It will stop some of the correspondence which is a black hole you can get sucked into.

Making excuses is a time waster, just return what people asked you to return. Those actions should not take a ton of time and should not be physically draining.

Then please get yourself fixed up and then finish the work....and best wishes on a speedy recovery.

[DeadOne]

On 6/10/2023 at 10:51 AM, Dr. Balls said:

Many years ago, I thought he was a member of this board - namely when he first started doing restoration. I remember his name from 9-10 years ago here, but I'm a little fuzzy on if he was active here or he was just name-dropped. Anyone else recall?

If I'm thinking correctly (and I believe I am), he used to go by MCP and/or MasterControlProcess. He used to post a lot on the comicspriceguide forum before that original forum crashed before migrating over to the CGC boards.
I think it was on the CPG boards where he was first blasted by a few of the CGC boardie mainstays at the time for doing the kind of "restoration" work he was attempting to do on books that were definitely not $1 books.

If the CPG board hadn't crashed, or this board had a memory that went back to 2009-ish, it would probably be a fun nostalgic read for some.

[CAHokie]

On 6/17/2023 at 6:40 AM, Hero Restoration said:

Would you like me to file a claim for one of those topics.

No, he would like for you to send him his AF-15 to him. Do you still have it? 

[KCOComics]

I do think you are getting empathy. Honestly, it takes a lot of courage to start your own business and do something you love. And it sucks that health and other circumstances have put you in this position.  

I can also appreciate that your in a difficult spot. You don't have free cash flow to return everyone's jobs and money, and you really don't have capacity to get the work out quickly. 

My advice at this point is, share your plan. Set deadlines and meet those deadlines. Customers are getting worried because they don't have confidence you'll finish the work. The only way to give them confidence is to communicate with them.  And it can be on your website or through social media, rather than individually emailing them.  Set clear and reasonable expectations and deliver on them. 

For example, Joeypost has on his site, "now working on books submitted on (X date)."

I sent books to Joey during the boom and they took probably a year to come back. But I didn't panic because I could check the site and see the books aren't lost, he's just not to my submission date yet. 

 

[Nazirite]

Don't return a single book, stop working, I'm going to dm you a number, when the other guy answers I want you to say these words: "I need a dust filter for a Hoover Max Extract 60 Pressure Pro." Take those 5 AF-15's with you and start over. Good luck.

[CAHokie]

On 6/17/2023 at 11:38 AM, Nazirite said:

Don't return a single book, stop working, I'm going to dm you a number, when the other guy answers I want you to say these words: "I need a dust filter for a Hoover Max Extract 60 Pressure Pro." Take those 5 AF-15's with you and start over. Good luck.

It’s scary that I knew that reference immediately,

[DougC]

On 6/17/2023 at 6:18 AM, Hero Restoration said:

I am committed to getting the books done, but customers aren't committed to waiting for them to be done. When you're talking to a client and they're only interested in one thing, and that's the one you can't do, and the client escalates it into a poor me. 

You are purposefully choosing not to address various items and still blaming your customers while withholding their property (until they are forced to take legal action) then pontificating on how empathy is in short supply (for you).

With how you choose to communicate so far and especially the blame you are placing, I believe there were likely problems long before the current ones, and the health issues just lowered the tide enough to expose everything.

I hope everyone at least gets their books back one way or another.

[Dick Pontoon]

On 6/17/2023 at 10:26 AM, DeadOne said:

If I'm thinking correctly (and I believe I am), he used to go by MCP and/or MasterControlProcess. He used to post a lot on the comicspriceguide forum before that original forum crashed before migrating over to the CGC boards.
I think it was on the CPG boards where he was first blasted by a few of the CGC boardie mainstays at the time for doing the kind of "restoration" work he was attempting to do on books that were definitely not $1 books.

If the CPG board hadn't crashed, or this board had a memory that went back to 2009-ish, it would probably be a fun nostalgic read for some.

The handle was MasterCPU here. If you go to page 5 of this thread, BlowUpTheMoon posted links to some of those threads.

[Sauce Dog]

@NP_Gresham is your AF15 one of these
 

Spoiler

image removed at request

 

Edited June 21, 2023 by Sauce Dog
removed image

[DeadOne]

On 6/17/2023 at 12:08 PM, MR. Pontoon said:

The handle was MasterCPU here. If you go to page 5 of this thread, BlowUpTheMoon posted links to some of those threads.

Thank you @MR. Pontoon

And thanks to @BlowUpTheMoon for posting the links. I'm sorry I missed this my first read through.

[Axe Elf]

On 6/17/2023 at 5:59 AM, Hero Restoration said:

Not taking it wrong, just providing context, and errors and omissions. I can turn it around, but only if given. time. Without that, the work isn't worth having done.

Again, I can't offer much BUT empathy, but I think you have to start considering that people want their books BACK more than they want the work done at this point--at least some of them.  If it was me, I would probably be putting any energy I had into returning everyone's books so that they at least have their property back--and then declare bankruptcy due to your health problems and work out any refunds for services not completed through the courts.  Then you will be able to start again with a clean slate.  It's not a rainbows and unicorns solution for the people who will lose a percentage of the fees they paid, but it gets you out of this hole that must hang over your head every minute of your life, stealing energy that you need to heal.

You have all my empathy, as long as you try something different other than what you're doing now, because what you are doing now is not working, and it very well might kill you if you don't.  If you really feel that you can work your way out of this hole, then I hope that you will at least accept help so that people can see some movement.  Again, SOMETHING needs to change.

And with that, I'm out of this conversation unless you need me.

[thehumantorch]

On 6/17/2023 at 4:59 AM, Hero Restoration said:

Customers that have a true grievance are not considered wolves. A client who charges back on credit card 11k for restos not due is a wolves.bI won that dispute BTW 

Clients who's books were stolen values in the form 12k, but sues for $45, from thousands of miles away is a wolf. 

As Time is an estimate, GUARANTEE. This is posted in multiple stages. but gets ignore. Terms and agreement get ignored.I like Joey:s at CFP approach, post the date range you are working on, then there is no deadline. Deadlines are avoided to ensure the quality of the work, the minute you have to rush to finish. It's not going to come out right, no good deal goes on punished.

Not taking it wrong, just providing context, and errors and omissions. I can turn it around, but only if given. time. Without that, the work isn't worth having done.

I never said the customers failed me, the ones I mentioned are a small percentage, but have a large impact that, and effects the other customers in unpreventable way..

Again, restos are complicated, and silver age is the most complicated of them all. 

Sure, I have failed some customers by long timelines, but the still hey their books, and it's quality work.

I'M SLOW, especially now. If that's an issue, shop for a younger competitor one does a one and done.

 

"Sent him the book in 2019+

After numerous calls and emails I get an email in 2022 saying “Your book is started and I will send you updates as it goes along

Then nothing. 
 
At this point I know it is gone. And spending Lawyer money is a waste of time. If he filed for bankruptcy then it is all over. He becomes immune.

Oh well expensive lesson"

NP_Gresham is one of your customers.  You've had his book 4 years.  Took 3 years to even start it.  No communication in the last year.  You've failed to come even remotely close to your time estimate.  You've failed to communicate as promised.  You've failed this customer so badly he's given up and figures his book and his money are gone.  Trotting out a few of your difficult clients is just a distraction and doesn't address the systemic issues with your business.

And I have a lot of empathy for your situation.  As do many of the posters on this thread.  I really hope you can fix all this and your business can flourish.  Perhaps you could show some empathy for your customers

.

 

 

[fishbone]

On 6/17/2023 at 7:18 AM, Hero Restoration said:

Unfortunately, empathy is in short supply. I think some of it is the economic climate right now including inflation. People are looking for ways to stretch dollars, and canceling orders is one way to do it. Did you know when your books arrive at CGC, you Cannot cancel the order. Even if they're 4 month tiers taking 14 months. Plus, the meter already starts once we receive the books. You got receiving you got emails, books get dry, cleaned or prepped and then the larger process is already getting on way. I am committed to getting the books done, but customers aren't committed to waiting for them to be done. When you're talking to a client and they're only interested in one thing, and that's the one you can't do, and the client escalates it into a poor me. 

....

Edited June 17, 2023 by fishbone

[badback83]

I really hope @NP_Gresham’s AF 15 isn’t “missing”.  It should be a priority to sort out the people that want their books back regardless if work has been completed or not.  
 

At the very LEAST, get those people their books back immediately.  Figure out the refunds later.  This is ridiculous.